Himenuma Pond on Rishiri Island: Mt. Rishiri Reflected on a 20-Minute Boardwalk Loop

By Chaporo, a Sapporo local Published
Himenuma Pond on Rishiri Island: Mt. Rishiri Reflected on a 20-Minute Boardwalk Loop

Quick answers

  • 30 minutes is enough; the boardwalk loop takes about 20 minutes
  • About 10 minutes by car from the Oshidomari ferry terminal, 15 from Rishiri Airport
  • Open May to October, closed November to April
  • For the reflection of Mt. Rishiri, Himenuma beats Otatomari Pond

Himenuma Pond ("numa" means pond) is the place on Rishiri Island where Mt. Rishiri turns upside down in the water. It sits in the woods above Oshidomari, the island's port town, and a boardwalk takes you all the way around it in about 20 minutes. I walked it on a sunny afternoon in June 2026, when the mountain, the trees and even the cloud on the summit were reflected in the pond.

How long do you need at Himenuma Pond?

Thirty minutes from parking to leaving is enough. I arrived at 15:00, walked around the pond taking photos and left at 15:30. The loop itself took about 20 minutes, the same as the sign at the entrance says.

The sign at the entrance to Himenuma Pond showing the boardwalk loop of about 20 minutes

The pond is open May to October and closed November to April (the island's tourism site Rishiri Plus, as of November 2026). The path is about 1 km around. The pond was made in the Taisho era (1912 to 1926) by damming a spring and joining three ponds into one, and its name comes from the himemasu (kokanee) trout that were released into it (Rishiri Plus, as of November 2026).

How to get to Himenuma Pond

It is about 10 minutes by car from the Oshidomari ferry terminal and about 15 minutes from Rishiri Airport, through Oshidomari. The parking lot was big enough that finding a space was no problem, and the pond is a two or three minute walk from it.

The only toilets are at the parking lot, so go before you start walking. A small shop by the pond sells photos and postcards of the island, the pond, its flowers and birds.

On the road up, Himenuma Viewpoint (Himenuma Tenbodai on the sign) is a pull-off for four or five cars where you look down on Oshidomari harbor and Cape Peshi sticking out beside it. Stop there on the way up or down.

The wooden sign and fence at Himenuma Viewpoint with the sea behind
Oshidomari harbor and Cape Peshi from Himenuma Viewpoint on the road to the pond

Mt. Rishiri reflected in the pond

Walking in from the parking lot, past the Himenuma sign, the pond opens up and the mountain appears beyond it.

On June 24 it was sunny, and the water held the mountain, the trees in front of it and the white cloud sitting on the summit.

Mt. Rishiri with a cloud on its summit and the trees in front, reflected in Himenuma Pond

Walking the boardwalk

The path around the pond is a wooden boardwalk. It goes through the woods, so there were insects, but it was easy walking. Some boards dip in places, so wear sneakers and watch your step.

The boardwalk along the edge of Himenuma Pond with Mt. Rishiri beyond the trees

Himenuma Pond or Otatomari Pond?

Rishiri has a second pond for viewing the mountain, Otatomari Pond, on the other side of the island, about 30 minutes by car from Oshidomari. If you have time, see both: the mountain changes shape with the angle. From Himenuma it looked broad and heavy at the base, and from Otatomari the summit looked sharp.

Mt. Rishiri from Himenuma Pond, broad at the base with a cloud on the summit
Mt. Rishiri from Otatomari Pond, with a sharp-looking summit

If you can only do one and you want the reflection, choose Himenuma. The mountain showed clearly in the water here, but at Otatomari there is some distance between the pond and the mountain, and it didn't reflect cleanly. Otatomari's advantage is that the pond is right in front of the parking lot, so you don't have to walk, and there is a souvenir shop.

Otatomari Pond on Rishiri Island: The Sharp Peak of Mt. Rishiri and a Souvenir StopOtatomari Pond, Rishiri Island's largest pond, with Mt. Rishiri's sharp summit behind it: how long to stay, parking, the Rishiri Kameichi souvenir shop, and Shiroi Koibito no Oka two minutes away.

FAQ about Himenuma Pond

Q1. Are there bears at Himenuma Pond?

No bears live on Rishiri Island. One swam over in 2018, and Rishirifuji Town (one of the two towns on the island) declared on June 28, 2019 that the island no longer has bears (Rishirifuji Town, as of November 10, 2026).

Q2. How long does Himenuma Pond take?

Thirty minutes from parking to leaving is enough. The boardwalk loop took me about 20 minutes, and the pond is a two or three minute walk from the parking lot.

More on Rishiri Island

Himenuma was my first sightseeing stop after lunch on my first afternoon on the island. Here is the whole two-night drive with times and costs.

Rishiri Island Itinerary: 2 or 3 Days Around Mt. Rishiri by Rental CarA Sapporo local's Rishiri Island itinerary by rental car, with real times: flights from Sapporo, picking up the car at the airport, Himenuma Pond, Cape Peshi, sea urchin season and prices, where to stay, costs, and a shorter 1-night version.